A bond stronger than Blood
by Star of the Valar
Summary: Theodred, Prince of Rohan, doesn't want to marry a girl he likes, because he feels that he will die young. What will happen when he marries a woman he does not love?
1. Chapter 1

A bond stronger than Blood  
  
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, but to J.R.R. Tolkien. I'm making no money with this, so don't sue me, which would be useless, anyway, because I don't have money.  
  
A/N: Not too many people appreciated Prince Theodred and so I decided to write about him. I'll make him a bit younger, though. He is 18 at the beginning of the story. Theoden isn't under Saruman's spell yet.  
  
Prologue  
  
  
  
Meduseld, Edoras, Rohan; Year 3016  
  
It was a quiet winter morning in December; Prince Theodred of Rohan and his cousin, Eowyn, went for a walk around the Golden Hall. The light shone brightly on their blonde hair and many heads turned to catch a glimpse of their beauty. Theodred, however was not in a very good mood; he kept kicking stones with the tips of his boots. "What is wrong?", Eowyn asked, softly. "Nothing. What should be wrong?" He sighed. "You know me too well, Eowyn. There is something wrong. It is about father." "He wants you to take a wife." Theodred nodded and swallowed. "I don't want to get married yet. I don't want to get married at all! I want to live the way I please. I never asked for the throne. You know that." Eowyn looked at her cousin, sadly. "Rohan needs you, Theodred. The times are hard and you know all of that very well. Your father is getting old and he would like to see the future heir to Rohan's throne." Theodred shook his head and looked at his cousin, his eyes wide and already filling with tears. "No, Eowyn. You know that I would give anything to me father, but I can't ... sacrifice myself like this. I just can't." The young woman put an arm around the trembling Prince's shoulders. "We don't get what we want, Theodred. Most of the time we don't." These words kept echoing in Theodred's mind for a long time; what if he was condemned to get married to a woman he did not love?  
  
After breakfast, Theoden called his son to him. He was sitting on the throne, a sad and angry expression on his face. "And?" That was all the King said, but it was enough to send shivers down Theodred's spine. "I know what you want to say, father, but I just can't decide and ..." "Enough!" Theoden raised a hand to make his son stop talking. "Theodred, we have talked about this for many, many times. You have to make a decision finally." The Prince bit his lip, fighting with tears yet again. "I do not wish to get married." Theoden did not react how Theodred had thought he would. He didn't react at all. After a few minutes he eventually spoke up again. "Out of my sight, you selfish brat. OUT OF MY SIGHT!" The Prince left; he knew that talking to his father would be senseless now. He stormed out of the hall and looked over the country. **His** country. One day he would be King of Rohan and somehow he knew that he **had** to take a wife who would be Queen, but he knew that he couldn't do it. "I heard everything. I am sorry." Theodred turned and was not surprised that Eowyn was standing behind him. "It's not your fault. I just wish he wouldn't be that ... well ... stubborn!" Eowyn laughed now and for some reason it felt good to hear that. "My dear cousin, your father certainly is not the only one in the family who is stubborn." With one final giggle she walked back into the hall.  
  
"Eomer, Eowyn, I need to talk to you." The King sounded serious; he had ordered them to come to his chambers after dinner and there they were. "You are Theodred's closest friends and you know him well. What is wrong with him?" Eowyn sighed. "He doesn't wish to get married, Mylord. He wants to live an independent life without the need to worry about a wife or even children." "Besides that, Mylord, he ... just doesn't feel loved by the women of Edoras." Eomer blushed; the young warrior didn't like talking about emotions. Theoden raised an eyebrow. "Who would not love the future King of Rohan?" "That is it, Mylord. He wants to be loved for who he is and not because he is the Prince," Eowyn said, silently. "Love!" The King's voice sounded bitter. "I loved Theodred's mother, dearly, and yet I did not know her before the day we got married. Loves comes with the years, not because of some physical attraction. He will marry the Lady I choose for him and if he refuses her he will leave Rohan and you take his place, Eomer. You can go and tell him, Eowyn."  
  
The young Lady of Edoras knew that her cousin would be devastated, but she had no choice.  
  
"WHAT?!" The shock in Theodred's blue eyes was greater than any other emotion Eowyn had ever seen anywhere. "Why would he do such a thing to me? Why?!" "He wishes the best for you, Theodred. He gave you the choice, but you did not choose a girl and so he will do it for you now." Theodred stared at his cousin for a second, then he ran down and saddled his horse. He left Edoras without looking back.  
  
The only person Theodred could turn to was his friend Halrad. Halrad was twenty five year old warrior and lived with his family in a great house which was a few hours away from Edoras. His father had been extremely rich and after his death Halrad had gotten everything the old man had owned. "Theodred!" Emwyn, Halrad's wife, waved and smiled. Theodred forced a smile on his face. He had always liked her for she seemed to actually like him for who he was. "What a surprise!" Halrad, too, ran down to greet the Prince. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you bring Eowyn?" Emwyn punched her husband. "I left in a hurry. I ..." Finally the young Prince wasn't longer to oppress the tears and they trickled over his pale cheeks. Emwyn took his hand and led him into the house, with Halrad close behind. They sat down and talked about everything. "I don't understand my father! How could he possibly want to ruin my life?" "I don't think that he wants to do that," Emwyn said after a while. "He loves you, but he also loves Rohan and it is his duty to provide a heir." "I'm the heir! What does he want?" Theodred was bitter and he did not get the support he would have liked. "Not everyone gets to marry the woman he loves," Halrad sighed. "My father didn't want me to take Emwyn as my wife either." Theodred looked up. "Why?" "It has to do with my father," Emwyn explained. "After my mother's death he took another wife. She comes from Gondor and it is said that ... that her mother was one of the Easterlings." Theodred gasped. "How could your father marry such a woman?!" Emwyn raised an eyebrow. "Hasty you are, Theodred. She is a good woman, beautiful and friendly. I love her like she was my mother." "Well, in the end my father was too weak to protest and now ... We have a secret, Theodred and it involves you." "Out with it, what is it?" Emwyn wasn't able to hold her joy back. "I am with-child!" "Oh, that's wonderful!" The Prince hugged his friends. "I'm so happy for you!" He eyed Emwyn, curiously; he could see that her stomach had grown since he had seen her the last time. "Will you be the godfather?" Emwyn sounded shy suddenly. "Of course! That will be great!"  
  
The next morning the Theodred woke up, hung-over from all the wine they had had the night before. He could hardly open his eyes, but he knew that he had to get up sooner or later. "Morning," he murmured when he arrived in the hall. Halrad and Emwyn grinned. "You can't hold a drink yet and your father wants you to take a wife!" Halrad shook his head. "Mad old ..." "Halrad! He is the King!" Emwyn had punched her husband once again. "All right, Emwyn, I know. I think I have a solution for your problem, Theodred." "You do?" "You could try to find a girl who you like." Theodred did not like that solution, not one bit. "But ..." "Do you want to leave Rohan?" He didn't want to and so his fate was sealed.  
  
April, Year 3017 of the Third Age  
  
The sun shone down on Theodred as he rode towards Halrad's home. He had gotten news that Emwyn had given birth to a son a few hours ago. It felt good to be out of Edoras and on the way to his friends. Het got out of the saddle as soon as he reached the house and ran in. What he saw in there was not what he had expected to see, though. Halrad was half lying on the table, surrounded by many bottle of wine, crying. "What is wrong, friend?", Theodred asked, softly. "Dead! He is dead!", Halrad sobbed. "The midwife couldn't help him." "How is Emwyn?", Theodred asked, immediately. "She ... lives." "Then go to her! She needs you now." "Her sister is with her. She doesn't need me. I ..." Halrad couldn't speak. Theodred left him and knocked on the door to Emwyn's chambers. A young girl opened. "Who are you? The lady can't receive any visitors right now." "I am or rather would have been the baby's godfather. I demand to see Emwyn!" "It is all right, Elwyn," a weak voice said. "I wish to see him." Theodred glared at the girl; she was still blocking the door. Something was strange about her. At first he didn't notice what it was, but then he realized: Her eyes were black. No one in Gondor or Rohan had black eyes. Some Rohirrim and many people of Gondor had black hair, but not eyes of that color. Elwyn ... She was Emwyn's sister. And an Easterling's granddaughter. 


	2. Chapter 2

A Bond stronger than Blood  
  
Chapter 2  
A/N: It was hard work to make up the names for my OC's. I stole the name "Galetta" from my favorite pudding brand ... sowwie. Chapter 2 Theodred kept gazing at Elwyn; her eyes reminded him of endless ponds, filled with dark water. She bit her lip and then walked back to her sister's side. Theodred followed her, afraid of what he would see.  
  
Emwyn was pale and cold sweat covered her forehead. She had lost a lot of her beauty and she looked older than she really was.  
  
"Theodred, the baby ... he ... he's dead," she whispered.  
  
The young Prince sat down beside her and stroked her cheek.  
  
"It's not your fault," he whispered. "You couldn't do anything. It's not your fault." Emwyn fell asleep soon and so the Prince and her sister left her. Theodred saw how Elwyn wiped her eyes and he felt sad.  
  
"Is there anything I can do for you, my lady?", he asked, softly.  
  
"Go," she whispered. "You do not belong here and our pain isn't yours."  
  
Theodred felt like she had just slapped him. Those people were his **friends**, of course their pain was his!  
  
"My lady, I can understand that you are sad, but ..."  
  
"No, my lord, I don't think you understand. Emwyn does not need a Prince right now. She needs her family. She needs people who have experienced pain already. I doubt you ever have."  
  
"I lost my mother," Theodred whispered. "She died when she gave birth to me. I'm grateful that the same thing did not happen to Emwyn."  
  
"Are you trying to tell me that you're **happy** that the baby died?!"  
  
Elwyn raised a hand to slap him, but Theodred held her back; it was easy to deal with her for she wasn't very strong.  
  
"Do nothing you might regret later," Theodred said and walked out.  
  
Elwyn watched him as his steed galloped through the gates. August, The year 3017 Four months had passed since Emwyn had lost her baby; sad, grey, neverending months, but eventually she had learned how to live with it.  
  
The midwife had talked to her a lot and Emwyn knew that she was not the only one woman who had to go through this.  
  
She sat outside and let the sun warm her. Halrad was in Edoras, visiting Theodred and she did not expect her husband to come back too soon when suddenly she saw a rider approach.  
  
"Good morning, sister!"  
  
"Good morning, Elwyn." Emwyn got up and walked down a few steps to help her sister out of the saddle before one of the servants could do it; Elwyn did not like to be touched, but she was too polite to say so.  
  
"How are you?", Elwyn asked.  
  
"I'm good. The sun is helping me a lot."  
  
"Indeed ..." Elwyn sighed. "Can I talk to you about something?"  
  
"Of course." Emwyn led her younger sister into the hall and gave her a glass of juice, before she sat down herself. "What is it, little sister?"  
  
"It's father, he ..." Elwyn sighed. "He wants me to get married."  
  
Emwyn stayed silent. She had seen this day come, but she had hoped for her sister that it wouldn't be so soon; Elwyn was seventeen years old, most of the girls of her age were already married and their father wanted to see his younger daughter with a husband, too.  
  
"You knew that he would ask you to get married sooner or later," Emwyn said.  
  
"Of course I did, but ... there's no man I love." Her voice sounded bitter. "You love Halrad at least. Who do I love?"  
  
That was a question Emwyn could not answer to. Eowyn, lady of Rohan, slipped through Meduseld, carefully; she had no desire to meet her uncle's "dog", Grima Wormtongue.  
  
She felt sick whenever she saw his disgusting face; he tried to be nice, but Eowyn somehow knew that he was not completely honest.  
  
"It's ridiculous. I'm hiding in my own home," she murmured and hurried to her brother's chambers.  
  
"I made it," she sighed and leaned against the door as soon as she was in.  
  
"What's wrong?", Eomer asked, frowning.  
  
"I was avoiding Grima," his sister replied. "I do not wish to meet him."  
  
"Who does?" Eomer sighed. "Unfortunately our uncle likes him. I would've thrown him out of Edoras months ago." He shrugged and turned back to cleaning his weapons. Eowyn picked up a dagger and moved it through the air, gracefully.  
  
"You can keep it," Eomer said. "It's not really useful, just something pretty to impress ladies with."  
  
"Thank you, brother." Eowyn hugged him and kissed his cheek. Eomer smiled; his sister was the only one who was allowed to touch him in such a way.  
  
"Well, the reason why I came here, Eomer, is not to steal your weapons. I was looking for Theodred." "He said that he would meet Halrad. They should be back soon."  
  
"Oh, good." With a smile she left her brother alone and ran back to her room. She hid the dagger in a pocket of her long dress and went out again to go and wait till Theodred came back. Theodred was sitting beside Halrad on the darkgreen grass of a meadow; their horses were drinking the clear water of a pond.  
  
"Oh, Halrad. What shall I do?" Theodred sighed and threw a stone into the river which caused his steed to shy away. "Sorry," the Prince murmured; the horse put its head on his shoulder to calm him down. "I can't find a girl! Father said I have time till next year, then I have to marry Lady Anled." He shuddered. "She's almost thirty! I could be her son!" Halrad raised an eyebrow. "Well, almost," Theodred admitted. "But still. It's just not fair."  
  
"Well, Em and I introduced you to a few ladies and you did not like them. They were pretty, they really were and you seemed to like Lady Galamin a lot, but then ..."  
  
"Halrad, that is the reason. I can't marry her when I like her! I could never ride to battle like I used to when I know that I might never return to her!"  
  
"Well, then just go for Lady Anled. You despise her."  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Then I can't help you, friend. Is there no pretty girl you dislike?"  
  
Theodred thought for a moment.  
  
"Elwyn."  
  
Halrad frowned and got up. "There's no way you will hurt my sister in law. She is a good girl, even though she might not seem like it."  
  
"I heard rumours, Halrad." The Prince got up himself. "Your father wants her to get married. The only one who is interested in her is Lord Galetta and you know damn well what he did to his last wife!"  
  
Lord Galetta's wife had died a few years ago because he had beaten her to death. Halrad winced.  
  
"I know, but ... I keep hoping that she will find a better husband."  
  
"Face reality, Halrad. No one wants her because of her looks. I do not care about that, though. She is an antisocial person and I dislike her. I certainly won't be sad to leave her behind."  
  
Theodred knew that his words were hard, but he would not take them back. Halrad got up and held Theodred's steed, so that the Prince could get back up.  
  
"Will you treat her well?", the older man asked.  
  
"I will give her everything she asks for, but do not expect me to get ... romantic."  
  
The young Prince was on his way to Emhal's house to ask the old man for the permission to marry Elwyn. Lord Emhal was more than pleased to welcome such a high guest to his home. The old man led the Prince to a table in his great hall and opened a bottle of his finest wine himself for he had sent away all of his servants to be alone with the young man.  
  
"Well, what can I do for your highness?", he asked, politely.  
  
"Lord Emhal, as you probably know I am friends with your daughter, Emwyn. I also got to know your other child, Lady Elwyn. I wish to take her as my wife."  
  
"Wha?! E-e-elwyn?"  
  
"I hope my wish does not interfere with your plans for her?"  
  
"N-not at all, your highness, not at all. I'm giving you my leave to marry her."  
  
The rest of their conversation is not worth being mentioned. Only one hour later Prince Theodred left Emhal's home on the back of his great steed. Elwyn knew that something was different when she returned home. Her father was jumping around like a young rabbit and even twirled her around when she entered the hall.  
  
"What's the matter, father?", she asked.  
  
"Prince Theodred was here this afternoon," Emhal replied with a smile. "My favorite girl."  
  
Elwyn frowned; she did not like these news. She noticed a woman sitting at the table. She got up and went on her knees before Elwyn. The girl told her to get back up.  
  
"What's your name?", the young lady asked.  
  
"My name is Tollin, my lady. I'm a dress-maker."  
  
"What do you need her for, father?" Elwyn didn't feel comfortable at all.  
  
"Child, the Prince wants to take you as his wife!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"Those are wonderful news, I know." Emhal grinned. Elwyn was used to talking openly with her father and this would certainly be no exception.  
  
"Never! I will never become his wife, I hate this ..." Emhal pressed a hand on her mouth and pushed her on a chair.  
  
"You don't mean to tell me that you will refuse the PRINCE?!"  
  
"I do not want him! I never asked for him and he does not like me!"  
  
"No one says 'no' to the Prince of Rohan. Especially not you, child. You may be pretty, but no man wants to marry you for your ... exotic features."  
  
"I know that to them I'm just a dirty Easterling, but I would have thought that my own father loves me!"  
  
"I do and that is why you will marry him. You will go to Edoras next month and meet the King. He will ask you questions and you will answer to them. You won't play an idiot just because you feel like it!" Elwyn and the dress-maker spent endless afternoons with trying on new dresses and then, one month she was on her way to the Golden Hall, leaving her youth behind. 


	3. Chapter 3

A Bond stronger than Blood  
  
Disclaimer: Everyone you know from LOTR is not mine. Everyone else is.  
  
A/N: -  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Eowyn was standing outside Meduseld, enjoying the view over the country. The wind was playing with her golden hair, blowing it into her face.  
  
"I wish he would come back," she sighed.  
  
"Are you waiting for your cousin, my lady?" Eowyn turned around as she heard that familiar voice.  
  
"Master Wormtongue," she said, not able to hold disgust out of her voice.  
  
"The Prince will come back soon, I am sure." With that he turned and left.  
  
Theodred returned half an hour later and immediately told her about his plans. Eowyn could hardly believe what she heard.  
  
"You mean to tell me that you will marry a girl you do not love because you are afraid you might be reluctant to go into battle if you leave a beloved one behind?! Are you insane?! You are leaving your father and me behind whenever you go! Your whole 'problem' seems so ... hard to understand."  
  
"It's not! It's just logical! If I had a beautiful, lovely wife like you I couldn't leave her behind because I'd love her so much. Elwyn is the next best thing. Beautiful, but I wouldn't mind making her a widow at all." Eowyn glared at him and slapped him across the face.  
  
"You brat! You spoiled brat!" She turned away from her cousin and ran to her room.  
  
She had meant to ask him to talk to the King about Grima, but she certainly wouldn't ask a man for help who did such a thing. King Theoden was more than pleased when he learned that his son had finally chosen a wife, even more so when he heard that Lord Galetta wanted her as well; Theoden had known the Lord's wife and he was furious, because he did not have evidence that she had died through Galetta's hand.  
  
One month had passed since that day and Eowyn and Theodred had forgiven each other; now they were waiting for the future Queen of Rohan to arrive at the Golden Hall. Finally they heard loud voices and Lady Elwyn of Tared, her father's estate, entered the Golden Hall. She ignored the voices of the people of Rohan who had never seen features as dark as hers before.  
"My King." She sank to her knees in front of the throne. She knew that she had to wait until the King helped her back up and she looked down at the floor. Finally she felt a warm hand in her own and lips touch the pale skin of her hand. It was not the King, though, it was Theodred. He was smiling and she returned it, although she felt like killing him  
"Sit down, my lady," the King said; a servant had brought a chair and placed it in the middle of the hall while she had been down on the floor. Everyone could see her from where she was. Elwyn sat down and placed her hands on her lap.  
"Well, my lady, how old are you?", the King asked, friendly. Elwyn felt that he was not her enemy here.  
"I'm seventeen years old, my King," she replied as politely as she had practiced with her father.  
"Young ... but so is my son." The noble people of Rohan laughed which caused Theodred to blush. "Who are your parents, child?"  
"Lord Emhal of Tared, my lord. My mother, Lady Alin of Gondor died when I was a child." That last remark was a polite way to remind the King that she was not a child anymore. Theoden chuckled; he liked the girl's temper.  
"Which languages do you speak, Elwyn?"  
"The ancient tongues of Rohan and Gondor as well as the common speach, my lord." The King thought for a moment and then suddenly asked: "Who was the second King of Rohan?"  
"Brego, of course!" Elwyn blushed; she was not supposed to act like this, but then again, she had not travelled to Edoras for a history lesson. "My lord," she added. Theoden chuckled.  
  
"You will be a good Queen, my Lady. Welcome to my family!"  
  
Eowyn led her to her new chambers, before the noble people of Rohan could get too close to her; the lady of Rohan had sensed Elwyn's distress.  
  
"They are not always here. They just came here to see who Theodred has chosen over their daughters."  
"I honestly wonder why ...," Elwyn murmured.  
"Have you said something?"  
"No, no, my lady."  
"Have you just called me 'lady'? My name is Eowyn. I hope we will be friends." Elwyn could not reply and she felt tears well up in her eyes; no one had ever 'hoped' to be friends with her, especially not this beautiful, graceful woman.  
"Thank you, Eowyn."  
"That's all right."  
  
Elwyn's servant had just left the room when she heard a knock on the door.  
"Yes?" Theodred entered the room, a small box in his hands.  
  
"My lady?"  
  
"Yes, what is it?"  
  
"Elwyn ... I have a present for you." Theodred blushed; suddenly he didn't feel that great anymore and the whole idea seemed cruel and wrong to him. "We never really got engaged and so I thought I'd give you this ..." Elwyn took the box and opened it. She stared at a silver ring, plain, but beautiful and certainly more worth than everything in her father's estate.  
  
"Thank you, my Prince, but I do not wish to have a present from you." She tried to remember what her father had said. I If you have to come back here no one will ever marry you and I will throw you off my land! /I But then she couldn't hold herself back anymore and threw the ring to the ground.  
  
"Are you completely insane, Theodred?! Why did you choose ME?"  
  
"I needed a wife who would not mourn for me when I fall in battle and who I don't love. You're perfect for this. That was my mother's wedding ring," he whispered.  
  
Elwyn remembered that he had never known his mother. She wanted to pick up the ring, but Theodred pushed her away.  
  
"Do not touch this!" He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. p  
  
Later that evening Eowyn visited Theodred's fiance. Elwyn was sitting on a chair in front of the mirror and tried to comb her hair.  
  
"Why didn't you ask for a servant?", Eowyn called out as she saw how hard it was for Elwyn. She took the comb away from the younger girl and took up a strand of the black hair, trying to sooth it.  
  
"Usually I don't like it when people touch me, but since it is you, it's all right."  
  
"Thank you," Eowyn said. "Theodred was upset when he left your room today. I wanted to visit you, but when I saw him I decided to leave you alone."  
  
Elwyn told her new friend everything and the lady sighed.  
  
"That ring means a lot to him. It's the only thing left of his mother, but don't feel guilty. You couldn't know and I never liked Theodred's idea much." The blonde woman looked at the darkhaired girl. "He's a good man. I hope you will see that some day."  
  
With that Eowyn left.  
  
She had almost arrived at her own chambers, when she ran into someone. br  
"Sorry, I haven't seen you," she apologized, when she noticed that she had run into Grima Wormtongue.  
"Oh, that is all right, Lady Eowyn," the pale man replied.  
  
"Well, fine then." She wanted to leave, when Grima grabbed her by the wrist.  
  
"Your hair looks especially nice tonight, my lady. Like gold under the stars," Grima said.  
  
"That's too kind of you." Eowyn pulled her arm back and walked to her room as fast as she could, without looking unpolite. 


End file.
